Funderbeam teams up with Taizo Son for Asia expansion

Taizo Son’s investment fund Mistletoe will invest 2 million euros in startup bourse Funderbeam and work with the Estonian startup to take its offering to Japan and elsewhere in Asia-Pacific.

Funderbeam launched last April the world’s first primary and secondary market for early-stage startup investments, starting to bring liquidity to a market where investors have had to wait years for an exit.

“Kaidi is constructing a revolutionary startup support system. These days, startups struggle with fundraising. Thanks to Funderbeam’s blockchain-based stock marketplace, startups can overcome,” Taizo Son said on stage at Slush Tokyo, where the announcement was made.

“Mistletoe engages in various activities to support and grow a startup ecosystem in which entrepreneurs and startups can grow freely.And for the healthy development of this ecosystem, a transparent and open fundraising process, is one of its critical components,” Taizo Son said.

On Funderbeam investors can pool their money across borders to raise capital for startups. And for the first time ever, startup investors can trade their investments on an online aftermarket secured by the blockchain technology.

For startups, the marketplace provides a new way to raise capital globally and solves also the challenge of having to deal with many small investors in early days of building the company, something typical for equity crowdfunding companies.